Health Literate Care Model

Overview

In order to improve health outcomes in the United States, we need patients to be more engaged in prevention, decision-making, and self-management. The Health Literate Care Model is an important tool that can help. It weaves health literacy principles from the Universal Precautions Toolkit into the widely adopted Chronic Care Model and calls for health care providers to:

Approach all patients as if they are at risk of not understanding health information

Employ a range of strategies for clear communication

Confirm that patients understand what providers are saying

When a health care organization adopts the Health Literate Care Model, health literacy becomes an organizational value infused into all aspects of planning and operations.